Interrogating Marvel's Agent Carter: Lotte Verbeek

Verbeek talks about bringing the famed Mrs. Jarvis to life and what she'll bring to Season 2 of 'Marvel's Agent Carter'!

In Season 2 of “Marvel’s Agent Carter”, which premieres Tuesday, January 19 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC, we’ll finally get our first look at Ana Jarvis, wife to Mr. Jarvis and the complete opposite of her husband in every way. Fans have speculated since last season what Ana Jarvis might be like and if they’d ever see her. Actress Lotte Verbeek opens up about what it was like to step into a role that has already been discussed so much but never before seen on screen.

“Finally, she’s alive!” joked Verbeek. “Ana Jarvis was definitely introduced in the first season in a way where you wondered, was she actually going to be alive and seen? Was she going to just be a voice? And I’m glad I’m alive [laughs]. It’s just really fun because you know, Jarvis is such a strong character in the show and then to be his wife is to be the complete polar opposite of what he is, so that’s been really fun to play.”

We already know a bit of Ana’s backstory from Season 1, such as how she and Jarvis met and that she’s from Hungary. Verbeek revealed that Ana will be bringing a bit of international flair to this season.

Verbeek explains, “Ana Jarvis is Hungarian and I spent a lot of time in Budapest, so that was exciting to me to play someone from a country that I really love – which isn’t mine, but for some reason I always end up playing characters that aren’t Dutch. [laughs] But there is a bit of an accent. I think that’s also a strong thing about the show, that it takes place in America, but Hayley is British and so is James, so you have the Brits, and then there’s just a nice mix of all these characters.”

Verbeek thinks fans will really respond to getting to see the dynamic between Jarvis and Ana play out on screen for the first time, especially as they’ll get a chance to see a completely new side of Jarvis.

“What’s exciting about the relationship between Jarvis and Ana Jarvis is that you get the sense in the first season that he’s a really devoted, loving husband in the cutest, most adorable way," Verbeek admits. "But you never see him be that way with her, you just hear him talk about her. And I do think it adds to his character and the second season to actually see him be the husband with her. I think there’s something very cute to it, just the way they are together, because they are so different. I think that’s very powerful.”

The chemistry between Verbeek and James D’Arcy, who plays Jarvis, was there from the start. As Verbeek explained, she jumped wholeheartedly into playing the role of carefree Ana, to unexpected results, like when she got a little too carried away on day one of filming and smacked D’Arcy right in his rear, unprompted.

“So the smacking of my husband’s ass,” Verbeek laughed, “I think it just happened because the writing is so great that it just gives you that inspiration of being playful and free, where Jarvis is more stuck-up and proper. The role of Ana Jarvis is definitely described as the polar opposite of him, so anything that’s playful and provocative and fun and outgoing goes, and James is such a great actor that whatever he does totally helps me in playing my character.”

Verbeek teased that their relationship just might get taken to a new level as Ana may or may not get involved in the shenanigans of her husband and Peggy Carter.

“Ana is definitely a lady that supports her husband in everything he does and he has some journeying to do in the second season," reveals Verbeek. "Obviously, I can’t give a lot away about that but it gets exciting! I have a great arc to play so the way you meet Ana Jarvis initially, there’s a place to go from there.”

The two-hour Season 2 premiere of “Marvel's Agent Carter” airs Tuesday, January 19 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC.